In preparing meat products for consumption, the animal supplying the meat products needs to be put down. This is typically done by first stunning the animal and then bleeding the animal out. Electrical and carbon dioxide stunning systems are the two main systems used today for stunning pigs. Both of these systems have their advantages and disadvantages when compared to one another. Electrical stunning is very quick if applied correctly. Regarding its use on pigs, it places the pigs into a state of unconsciousness. In particular, into a grand mal seizure. Moreover, depending on how the electrodes are placed, it can also put the pig into cardiac arrest. After electrical stunning has been applied to the pig, the pig can be bled out and very quickly rendered dead. The cost is comparatively low from a capital cost standpoint as well as on an ongoing cost basis when compared to carbon dioxide. The disadvantages with electrical stunning includes the pig needs to be restrained and electrical wands need to be placed within a very tight area tolerance for it to be effective. Also a great deal of “blood splash” is created in some of the parts of the muscles. This is a very common occurrence in pigs that have been electrically stunned. Blood splash is unsightly and is visibly unattractive in meat products. Moreover electrical stunning can result in the pigs breaking their backs which can make it difficult for further processing.
Carbon dioxide stunning can be an effective way to stun pigs. One of the major advantages with this type of stunning is that allows pigs to be stunned in groups as opposed to having to go through a single file restrainer system. Some of the disadvantages are, however, it takes longer for the animal to be stunned with CO2. Moreover the capital cost for carbon dioxide science very expensive. The ongoing cost of carbon dioxide and equipment repairs are also expensive.
For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for a humane, efficient and cost effective method of stunning animals.